Parthasarathi Suvarna Ratha Dedicated to Udupi Krishna

Udupi: The Parthasarathi Suvarna Ratha (golden chariot) was dedicated to Lord Krishna at the Udupi Sri Krishna Math on Friday to mark the completion of 50 years of ascetic life of Paryaya Sri Puthige Math head Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji.

The chariot was formally unveiled in the presence of Sri Subudhendra Tirtha Swamiji of the Mantralaya Sri Raghavendra Math, Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji and Puthige Matha junior pontiff Sri Sushreendra Tirtha Swamiji.

Sri Subudhendra Tirtha Swamiji had initiated the construction of the Parthasarathi Suvarna Ratha on June 29.

With this offering, Udupi Krishna now has an eighth chariot in service. Unlike the other chariots that are taken out along the Rathabeedi (Car Street), the Parthasarathi Suvarna Ratha enables rathotsava to be conducted within the temple premises, along the inner circumambulatory path (garbhagudi suttu), allowing the ritual to be held even during the monsoon season.

The golden chariot symbolically depicts Lord Krishna as Parthasarathi—the charioteer who delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The artistic design captures this moment from the Mahabharata, portraying Krishna imparting the sacred message of the Gita.

A grand procession carrying the golden chariot was taken out through the streets of Udupi, drawing large crowds of devotees.

“Udupi Krishna is revered as Anna Brahma, the giver of food, and also as Utsava Brahma, as the temple uniquely conducts daily Rathotsava rituals—a tradition rarely seen elsewhere,” Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji said.

The dedication of the chariot is also seen as the culmination of Puthige Swamiji’s Vishwa Gita Paryaya, during which the Bhagavad Gita was extensively propagated through initiatives such as the Koti Gita Lekhana Yajna. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had participated in the Laksha Kanta Gita Parayana at the Udupi Sri Krishna Math last month.